Ardic Thermostat Disassembly

[laika]

View attachment 30637

I have an old Volvo ardic D041 heater which has been cutting out soon after startup. The thermostat has always been dodgy, and the heater never worked unless the thermostat was hard up at its highest setting. Whilst the problem may also be the flame sensor, I'm inclined to start with the thermostat as it was already problematic. However..I can't seem to work out how to take the fascia off: There's obviously a simple knack to taking it off but I've squeezed and prodded all round it and can't work out how it comes apart. Does anyone know to avoid me having to guess my way into breaking little plastic lugs off?

In case it's unrepairable or the fault is not obvious, if anyone knows where I could get another thermostat cheap let me know: Espar are quoting me a fortune. I noticed one on yachtpart's web site for half what Espar wanted, but that was just after they closed (and it wasn't documented in any of the auction lots).

 

[MoodySabre]

The instructions for mine show a small pic and it looks as though the back comes off not the front. It looks like there are little push in lugs on the back plate. Or perhaps the front and sides pull off the back (once the knob is removed obviously).

Might an Eber thermostat work. Guy selling them for £49 on ebay.

 

[laika]

'fessing up to my own stupidity for the benefit of anyone who might turn up this thread looking to solve the same problem. There was a screw hidden under the knob (which is apparent once the knob is removed obviously: Thanks MoodySabre). Doh!

Strange how fixing the heater has become a much lower priority in the last week

 

[superheat6k]

Best thing I did with the Ardic on my last boat was to replace it with an Eberspacher D2.

 

[laika]

Best thing I did with the Ardic on my last boat was to replace it with an Eberspacher D2.

TBH that would be the sensible thing to do: it wasn't that much cop when it worked. However the D2 is supposedly too small for my (12 and a bit metre) boat with a lower output rating. The D4 requires bigger ducting which will involve a lot of woodwork dismantling and enlarging of holes. Making one of the saloon vents and the aft cabin vent non-closing and increasing the ducting size only as far as the Y connector breaking off to front and back might be an option. However that would be wasteful most of the time as usually I only want to heat the saloon where I'm working and can make do with hot water bottles and bedding come bed time.